Govan is a parish, partly in Renfrewshire, but chiefly in Lanarkshire. It is bounded by New Kilpatrick, Barony, Glasgow and Gorbals, Rutherglen, Cathcart, Eastwood, Abbey-Paisley, and Renfrew. Part of it comprises the larger portion of the great southern suburb of Glasgow, but this was long ago annexed to the small parish of Gorbals, and is now commonly included in the census returns and otherwise in what is called the barony and parish of Gorbals. The rest of the parish, though containing some of the outskirts of Glasgow, chiefly lines of villas, and notwithstanding its own towns of Govan and Partick, which are in a large degree straggling or outspread, may be regarded as all landward. It extends along the left bank of the Clyde from the boundary with Rutherglen to the foot of the town of Govan, and thence it continues along the same bank to a point in the vicinity of the town of Renfrew, and also comprises a tract on the right bank of nearly square outline, about 2 miles each way, bounded on the side next Glasgow by the river Kelvin. The tract on the left bank of the Clyde used to be called the township or territory of Govan, and the tract on the right bank, the township or territory of Partick. The portion in Renfrewshire comprises the lands of Haggs, Titwood, and Shields. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Balshagry, Craigton, Drumoyne, Govan, Little Govan, Mavisbank, Meikle Govan, Partick, Ronebank, Strathbungo
Jordanhill, Shieldhall
The city of Glasgow, as defined by the City of Glasgow Act, 1891, is partly in Lanarkshire and partly in Renfrewshire. Clause III proposes to put the whole of the extended city in the county of Lanark. The subjects so to be transferred are far too numerous to detail. They are situated partly in the:
Parish of Govan - Polmadei, Strathbungo, Pollokshields, Pollokshields East
Parish of Cathcart - Crosshill, Crossmyloof, Langside, Mount Florida
Parish of Eastwood - Shawlands
The effect of the change just described would be to place the parish of Govan wholly in Lanarkshire, with the exception of the police burgh of Kinning Park, which would remain in Renfrewshire. See affected properties and landholders. (1892: Boundary of counties and parishes in Scotland as settled by the Boundary Commissioners under the Local Government Act, 1889, by Hay Shennan)
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Govan was a prebend of Glasgow. It was dedicated to St Constantine, who had been buried at Govan. On 13 July 1577, the teinds of Govan were granted to the University of Glasgow. This settlement was set aside on 20 December 1621, and only the patronage of Govan was left to the University. There was a chapel in the parish at Partick. Govan Church was rebuilt in 1762, and again in 1826. A later rebuilding was begun in 1884 and was opened 19 May 1888.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Anderston. A chapel was built here in 1799, and was given a constitution on 31 May 1834. The building was burned down on 6 May 1849. It was rebuilt, and was opened for worship on 15 Jan 1865. The parish was disjoined from Govan on 15 February 1875.
Balshagray. Mission work was begun here in 1909. The parish was disjoined from Govan and Whiteinch, 14 November 1919.
Belmont. In January 1866 religious services were begun here in an iron building. This was replaced by a stone church in 1894. The parish of Belmont was disjoined from Hillhead on 2 November 1906.
Cardonald. The parish was disjoined from the Abbey Parish of Paisley and Govan by the Court of Teinds, 14 July 1890.
Dean Park. Mission services were carried on here for some time in a building which had been a United Presbyterian Church. A new church was built in 1873. The parish was disjoined from Govan and Maxwell on 5 June 1876.
Gorbals. A chapel was built here in 1729. The parish of Gorbals was disjoined from Govan on 20 February 1771. A new church, built in 1810, was made the parish church on 10 March 1819. This building, however, was claimed by creditors and was taken possession of by them on 29 January 1852. Possession of the church was regained in 1864. On the south side of the Clyde, within this parish, stands Hospital Street. It marks the site where, about the year 1450, Lady Lochawe founded St Ninian's Hospital for Lepers, whose charitable work was still carried on during the earlier part of the seventeenth century.
Govanhill. In May 1874 mission work was begun here, the services being held in a temporary chapel. A church was built in 1881. The parish of Govanhill was disjoined from Govan and Queen's Park on 14 July 1893.
Hillhead. A church was built here in 1876. The parish of Hillhead was disjoined from Govan on 13 March 1882.
Hyndland. A chapel was built here in 1886. The parish of Hyndland was disjoined from Govan on 15 July 1910.
Kinning Park. Mission work was begun here in 1868. The religious services were held in a brick building in Stanley Street called Maxwellton Territorial Chapel. A permanent church was built in 1873. This parish was disjoined from Govan on 5 June 1876.
Oatlands. Services were begun 10 January 1875, and a temporary church opened April 1876. A new church was opened 7 October 1883. The parish was disjoined from Govan, 6 July 1891.
Partick. A church was built here in 1834. On 30 May 1836 the General Assembly granted it a constitution. The parish of Partick was erected 15 February 1869.
Pollokshields. This parish was disjoined from Govan on 4 November 1878. There is a mission chapel in the parish at Tradeston.
Queen's Park. Mission work was begun here in 1869. A church was built in 1873. Queen's Park was disjoined from Cathcart and Govan on 1 March 1875.
St Bride's, Govan. A church was built here on a site given by Sir William Hozier of Mauldslie, Bart. St Bride's Parish was disjoined from Govan on 12 December 1902.
St Gilbert's, Pollokshields. Mission work was begun here in 1903. The parish was erected by the Court of Teinds, 28 June 1918.
St Kenneth's, Govan. St Kenneth's Parish was disjoined from Govan on 28 May 1915.
St Kiaran's. A Gaelic chapel was built here in 1866. St Kiaran's Parish was disjoined from Govan and Dean Park on 26 May 1884.
St Margaret's. A mission hall was built here in 1897. A site for a church was given by the trustees of William Smith Dixon of Govanhill. The church was then built, and was opened for worship on 17 May 1902. St Margaret's Parish was disjoined from Oatlands and Govan on 12 December 1902.
St Mary's, Partick. Services were begun here in 1863. St Mary's Parish was disjoined from Partick on 15 March 1875.
St Ninian's. A church was built here in 1884. St Ninian's parish was disjoined from Govan on 11 March 1889. The name of the parish commemorates St Ninian's Leper Hostpial, founded in the middle of the fifteenth century.
Steven Memorial, Bellahouston. The gift of this church announced 6 December 1884, as a memorial to Moses Steven, a notable Glasgow churchman. The parish was disjoined from Bellahouston and Govan, 18 July 1919.
Strathbungo. Religious services were begun here in 1833. The General Assembly granted a constitution for the chapel on 28 May 1838. The parish of Strathbungo was disjoined from Govan and Queen's Park on 13 January 1879.
Temple. The parish of Temple was disjoined from New Kilpatrick, Govan, and Renfrew, 13 March 1896.
Titwood. There was a congregational church here. Its minister and congregation petitioned to be admitted to the Church of Scotland, and were received in 1886. In 1895 a new church was built. The parish of Titwood was disjoined from Govan on 8 November 1901.
Whiteinch. The parish of Whiteinch was disjoined from Govan on 6 March 1865.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Govan (QO)
Anderston (QS)
Balshagray (QS)
Belmont (QS)
Cardonald (QS)
Dean Park (QS)
Govanhill (QS)
Hillhead (QS)
Hyndland (QS)
Kinning Park (QS)
Oatlands (QS)
Partick (QS)
Pollokshields (QS)
Queen's Park (QS)
St Bride's (QS)
St Gilbert's, Pollokshields (QS)
St Kenneth's (QS)
St Kiaran's (QS)
St Margaret's (QS)
St Mary's, Partick (QS)
St Ninian's (QS)
Steven Memorial, Bellahouston (QS)
Strathbungo (QS)
Templs (QS)
Titwood (QS)
Whiteinch (QS)
(1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)
Parish registers turned over to the Registrar-General, as a result of the Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (Scotland) Act of 1854. The letters B. D. and M. indicate Births (or Baptisms), Deaths (or Burials), and Marriages (or Proclamations of Banns) respectively. Numbers indicate separate volumes or books. Note: These records are by no means complete or without damage; consult the Detailed List of the Old Parochial Registers of Scotland (1872) to learn more about the condition of the records.
| OPR and RD Numbers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date Range | Name | Number | Type |
| 1689-1854 | Govan | 646 | OPR |
| 1855-1870 | Govan | 646-1 | RD |
| 1855-1869 | Partick | 646-2 | RD |
| 1870-1881 | Govan | 646-1 | RD |
| 1870-1874 | Kinning Park | 646-2 | RD |
| 1870-1874 | Partick | 646-3 | RD |
| 1875-1881 | Partick | 646-2 | RD |
| 1882-1912 | Govan | 646-2 | RD |
| 1882-1912 | Partick | 646-3 | RD |
| 1913-1934 | Govan | 644-21 | RD |
| 1935-1955 | Govan | 644-17 | RD |
| 1956-1963 | Govan | 644-10 | RD |
| 2026 | (Govan) Glasgow City Council; Govan Community Council Drumoyne Community Council | ||
| 2026 | (Partick) Glasgow City Council; Partick Community Council | ||
(2009: Parishes and Registration Districts of Scotland - Old and New, National Records of Scotland)
Local community councils (2026) are provided as a potential source of additional information for settlements within the original boundaries of the parish. (Source)
Statistics from informal and official censuses
Anderson, Brown, Campbell, Miller, Reid, Robertson, Smith, Stewart, Thomson, Wilson
Note: Names appearing in research materials, other than censuses. Simple names (First name, surname only) have been omitted unless they appear associated with large properties. All women's names, and men's names with occupations, military ranks, or peerage titles are included.
By the Reverend Mr John Pollock.
"Besides the village of Govan, which contains 224 families, there are 2 more villages in the parish so considerable, that in the one, which is a little north from the Clyde, there are 115 families, and in the other upon the road to Eastwood, 35. There are in the parish of Govan, exclusive of the people employed from other parishes, during a great part of the season, at the print and bleachfields, 2518. Of these there are 1266 males, 1252 females, and 532 under 8 years of age.
For industry and activity, the farmers here are eminently distinguished. The superior classes are social, hospitable, liberal to their poor, and generally regular in attending the ordinances of religion. From a great part of the operative people in the villages, 279 of whom are weavers, temperance, it is much to be lamented, has not obtained a place among the cardinal virtues. There are no fewer than 22 ale, or rather whisky houses in the parish."
(This section contains excerpts, at times restructured or paraphrased, from an article appearing in Statistical Account of Scotland, Sir John Sinclair, 1791-1799)
Primary Sources:
Statistical Account of Scotland (1791-1799), Volume 14, p. 281
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 6, p. 668
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
